By: AviPublished in 1990

Set in 1832

True Confessions of Charlotte

Doyle

Avi Wortis was born in New York City, on December 23, 1937, and he grew up in the borough of Brooklyn. His parents held strong political views and fought actively against racism and for women’s rights. Avi remembers that his home was always filled with lively discussions.

The thirty books Avi has written include tales of mystery, history, adventure, comedy, and fantasy.

His goal is to create stories that are exciting and fun as well as thoughtful and well written.

“

“I want my readers to feel, to think, sometimes to laugh. But most of all I want them to enjoy a good read.” - Avi

Despite the author’s love of reading and learning, school was a constant struggle for him. Later in his life, he realized that he had a learning disorder that affected his ability to spell and form letters. Because at that time people did not understand learning disorders, Avi was criticized at school and told that he would never be a good student or writer.

However, he would not be discouraged. With the encouragement of his family and a helpful tutor, and because of his love of books and his own stubbornness, he kept writing….

…Discouraged???…

While still in high school, he decided that he wanted to have a career as a writer. Avi based the experiences of many of his later fictional characters on his own experience of feeling like an outsider.

2 degrees from the University of WisconsinLibrarian in New York for 25 years – also continued

to write during this timeToday, Avi writes full time and travels around the

country to give talks in schools. He likes to share his story of success with students, particularly students with learning disorders. Avi believes that being in touch with his readers helps him keep his stories realistic.

…and…

Introducing the Novel…

“Miss Doyle, please…I have something else to offer.”

“No more tea, thank you.”

“No, miss. It is this.” He held out a knife. With a scream I jumped back.

“No, No! Miss Doyle. Don’t misunderstand! I only wish to give you the knife as protection – in case

you need it…Miss Doyle doesn’t know what might happen. A ship sails with any wind she

finds “ he whispered.

--The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle,

Chapter 2

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, is an adventure novel set in 1832. When the novel begins, Charlotte Doyle is a sheltered schoolgirl who knows only the wealthy world of her family. She is about to embark on a journey that will take her from her school in England to her family’s home in Providence, Rhode Island.

From the moment she steps aboard the Seahawk, Charlotte Doyle has unsettling experiences. In the earliest days of her voyage, these experiences strengthen Charlotte’s feelings that she should not be traveling across the Atlantic Ocean by herself on a ship full of strangers. The voyage cannot end soon enough for her. Charlotte has no idea that her time aboard the Seahawk will change her life forever.

The Story…

Originally, Avi did not plan to focus this novel on one character. When he began to write, he was planning to create a mystery novel. He even titled his work-in-progress “The Seahawk.” However, in working on the book, Avi found that he was drawn to the character of Charlotte. He began to care about how events might affect her. The element of mystery then became secondary to the story of Charlotte.

Charlotte, like other characters in Avi’s writing, struggles to find her true self in a world that is not always flexible and kind.

Element of Mystery…

Suspense, vivid details, the believable characterization of Charlotte and others, and the emotional impact of its ending have earned this novel much critical praise and several awards.

One reviewer described the book as a “sensuous novel evoking the sights, sounds, and smells of the ship and the sea; the moods of captain and crew;…and the nature of friendship and loyalty.”

Critics Say…

Most of the action in The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle takes place in 1832 on an old two-masted sailing ship, called a brig. The brig is traveling from England to the US to transport cargo. Another setting used later in the novel, is the wealthy, orderly home of Charlotte’s parents in Providence.

Early in the novel, Charlotte tells the reader that her father “engaged in the manufacture of cotton goods” and had been working at an American business located in England. At the time in which the novel is set, the manufacture of cotton cloth was an important and profitable industry in both England and the northeastern US.

The Time and Place…

1800’s – some people were reaping the benefits of what is called the Industrial Revolution – the period during which machines replaced skilled workers and their handtools. The new machines were kept in large factories. Goods, such as clothing and furniture, could now be manufactured much faster than ever before.

The Industrial Revolution started in England around 1750 and soon spread to other countries. Cloth-producing factories, called textile mills, were among the first businesses to use machines. In 1790 Rhode Island became the first state in the US to copy the cotton-spinning machines used in England. By the late 1820’s the manufacture of cotton goods was Rhode Island’s most important industry.

A Little History…

The Industrial Revolution made nations wealthier, but this wealth was not shared by all the people. In many countries, the gap between the rich and the poor widened, and distinct social classes became more noticeable. It was difficult, if not impossible, for the factory workers to lift themselves out of poverty and climb to a higher social level.

In addition to being an adventure story, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is also a historical novel. In a historical novel, realistic details are used to show the conditions and the spirit of a specific time period in history. This type of writing may feature actual historical figures and events, fictional characters and scenes, or a combination of both.

What did this mean?

Chapters 1-8Journal: Write about

an unfamiliar experience in which you were uncomfortable. Include details that help explain your feelings.

Setting a Purpose: Read to find out how a thirteen-year-old girl copes when finding herself among unfamiliar people and in unfamiliar situations as she begins a difficult journey.

Time & Place: In the first section, Charlotte meets the ship’s African cook, Zachariah. She observes that he is often the target of cruel jokes made by the white crew members. This kind of prejudice was common during the 1800’s. Many Africans were still enslaved in the US. Even those that were free, such as Zachariah, still faced discrimination in the courts and workplace.

What keeps readers on the edge of their seats as they read a mystery? In mysteries and adventures, as well as in other kinds of fiction, writers use a technique known as foreshadowing – the use of clues to hint at events that will happen later in the story. Until the end of a story, the reader may not know the special meaning of a detailed presented earlier. At other times, an author may imply, or even say directly, that an item or character will resurface later.

Example: the knife

Literary TechniqueFORESHADOWING

Adversity – n – hardship; misfortuneBrawny – adj – strongCongenial – adj – agreeable; pleasantDecorum – n – proper, dignified behaviorDocile – adj – easily taught; easily led or

managedQuell – v – to crush; to hold backReprieve – n – reliefSlanderous – adj – false and damaging to one’s

reputationTranspire – v – to come to be; to happenVigilant – adj – alert; watchful

Ch. 1-8 Vocabulary

Making Meanings – Ch. 1-5

1. Explain the important actions of each of the following characters in this section of the novel: Mr. Grummage, Mr. Keetch, Zachariah, & Captain Jaggery.

2. How does Charlotte’s trip, as described in these chapters, differ from her expectations?

3. What disturbs Charlotte most about having to travel as the only passenger?

4. Why does Charlotte dislike Zachariah?

5. What does Charlotte mean when she tells Zachariah, “Justice is poorly served when you speak ill of your betters”?

6. Why does Captain Jaggery want Charlotte to keep her eyes open for a Round Robin?

7. What would you like/dislike about traveling alone on a ship as Charlotte does?

8. Charlotte relies a great deal on her first impressions of people. Why is this not always a good idea?

Chapters 9-15Journal: Write about a

time when you realized that your initial impressions of a person were incorrect. Why did you form your original opinion? Why did your feelings change? Did you regret not understanding the person sooner?

Setting a Purpose: Read to find out why Charlotte’s views of herself and others on the ship change dramatically.

Did You Know: Piracy at sea has occurred throughout history and among many cultures. Pirates searched for ships carrying valuable products, such as gold or silver. They would attack their target, steal what they wanted, and sometimes take over the entire ship and crew. Despite the legends that show pirates as rough and lawless, pirate ships operated under certain self-imposed rules to maintain order. Many pirate ships could be called democratic because the crew elected the captain and because stealing from other crew members landed the thief before a pirate court.

At a tense moment in this section, Captain Jaggery reminds his crew that the “days of piracy” are over. In fact, starting in the late 1700’s, some European governments enacted strict piracy laws, which by the mid-1800’s put an end to the operation of many pirate ships. Nevertheless, piracy still exists in some parts of the world.

A conflict is the opposition of persons or forces. In a novel, the plot, or sequence of events, is always driven by one or more conflicts. An external conflict describes a character’s confrontation with an outside force, such as another character, a physical obstacle, nature, or society. An internal conflict takes place within a character and may involve, for example, the character’s struggle with a difficult decision, with guilt, or with fear.

In this section, Charlotte Doyle experiences both types of conflict. As you read, identify her conflicts.

Literary TechniqueINTERNAL & EXTERNAL CONFLICT

atonement – n – the act of making up for a wrong

audacity– n– boldnessgesticulate– v– to wave; to motionimpertinence– n – rudenessimplacable – adj – unable to be changedmutiny– n– uprising; rebellionpinion– v– to restrain; to holdscrutiny– n– inspection; examination

Ch. 9-15 Vocabulary

Making Meanings – Ch. 6-12

1. What does Charlotte think she sees after Barlow leaves her alone with her trunk?

2. Whose good opinion of Charlotte gains her “the license to be liked”?

3. How does Charlotte discover the crew’s round robin?

4. What does Charlotte decide to do to accept responsibility for betraying the crew?

5. What event leads Charlotte to reverse her opinions of the captain and crew?

6. What does Charlotte mean when she says that “The storm was…man-made?”

7. Why does Charlotte report her discovery of the round robin?

8. Why does the captain take Charlotte with him as he goes to confront the crew?

9. After she sees Captain Jaggery for what he is, Charlotte asks and wants his forgiveness. Why?

10. Charlotte feels as if everyone hates her. What would you have done in her place? Explain.

Making Meanings – Ch. 13-171. How do the sailors test Charlotte?

2. Who saves Charlotte during the storm?

3. Why is Charlotte tossed into the brig?

4. Who do you think killed Mr. Hollybrass? Why?

5. Why don’t the crew members want Charlotte to join them at first?

6. How does Charlotte win the acceptance and respect of the crew?

7. Why does the captain drive Charlotte so hard?

8. What causes the crew to turn against Charlotte again?

9. Imagine the pride Charlotte must feel about having succeeded in the role of a sailor. Finish this sentence as if you were Charlotte: I am proud of myself because _____________.

10. The captain has the authority to be both prosecutor and judge in Charlotte’s trial. Is this combined authority a bad idea? Explain.

11. The description of Charlotte’s first climb to the top of the main mast takes up almost six pages. Is all the detail necessary? Explain.

Chapters 16-22Journal: What words

and phrases come to mind when you think of the word “independence?” when you think of the phrase “social customs?” Make two word webs, one with terms related to “independence” and the other with terms related to the phrase “social customs.”

Setting a Purpose: Read to find out what life Charlotte finally chooses for herself.

Did You Know: In 1832, when the events of the novel take place, the state of Rhode Island was thriving. Its job opportunities attracted many immigrants; its attractive coastline and the island city of Newport drew wealthy vacationers. Providence and Blackstone Valley were manufacturing centers. Providence was then, as it is today, the cultural and economic center of the state.

State laws regarding slavery were changing at the time charlotte took her voyage. Many states wanted to do away with slavery altogether. Southern plantation owners, however, felt that they could not farm their lands without the inexpensive labor provided by enslaved people. The country became divided into free states and slave states. Some enslaved people escaped to freedom by following the Underground Railroad, a secret cooperative network among antislavery people that led from the South to the North. In the North, however, conditions for African Americans were far from ideal. Discrimination and segregation were widespread.

Free States and Slave States

abominations– n – horrorsapparition– n– ghostcommence– v– to beginconspiracy– n – a secret plancopiously– adv – plentifully; in great amountsmutely– adv– silentlyperplexity– n– confusionprophecy– n– a foretelling of the futurerenounce – v – to give upshrewdly – adv - cleverly

Ch. 16-22 Vocabulary

Making Meanings – Ch. 18-22

1. Who is killed with Charlotte’s knife?2. Who really killed him, and why?3. What evidence does the captain give of Charlotte’s

“unnatural” actions and behavior?4. How does Charlotte’s imagined return home differ

from the reality?5. Why doesn’t the crew support Charlotte at her trial?6. Why is Charlotte nervous when Zachariah confides in

Keetch? Is she right to be nervous?7. Why does Charlotte’s father burn her journal?8. Charlotte suddenly finds herself at odds with her

family about how she should behave and think. She chooses to run away. How else might she have handled the conflict?

9. Did the novel’s ending surprise you? Does it make sense to you? Explain.